Renshi's Light
by Sea Mallard
Summary: Based in 12th century China, Renshi helps to save his village from economic termoil and disaster...


_Renshi was raised to love the water. He learned about the ocean and its creatures with ease. He mastered the way of the sail and keel quickly. Renshi's clan, the little known and respected Carp lived in a small fishing village on the coast living off the land and ocean evenly and respectfully. Even though Renshi loved the ways and traditions of his home, he was fascinated with all things modern and magic. Whenever his father would go into the city to buy supplies and sell his wares, Renshi would beg and plead to tag along. Renshi loved the sights and the people of the modern city, he would wander away and visit the shops and forges asking questions and watching. Eventually, Renshi had earned enough money to buy the books and manuals that he desperately wanted to learn from. He would read and read, until he knew all the books by heart, and then he would buy more to read and memorize. Renshi's father could not understand, or even read, the books his son had become enamored by. As long as it didn't take away from his duties, he allowed Renshi to read and write his hearts desires._

_Renshi grew to be a creative and driven young man. He would craft and invent ways to help his father work on the farm and out at sea, making things easier and more productive. When Renshi had become of age, he left the farm and went out to sea to search for his own fortune fame. Renshi's adventures took him all around the known world, making him friends, allies, and a fortune in gold and gems (even creating a small fleet). Renshi quickly earned a reputation of a skilled sailor and a fair merchant. Word of Renshi's deeds reached the royal court of the great Emperor and tales of his rescues had the barons and landowners of the kingdom scrambling to hire Renshi and his small merchant fleet for high ranking escorts and valuable shipments, especially after reports of that the Emperors favorite niece was among the many rescued by Renshi and his merchanteers. Renshi was even offered command rank in the royal Navy, but his rogue heart belonged to the sea and her endless horizons._

_Thirty years at sea had passed for Renchi, adventuring and gaining renown. When word was sent to him of his father falling ill and dying, Renshi sailed his growing fleet back to the small fishing village where he grew up. With his fleet docked at the small fishing town, Renshi stayed with his father until he finally succumbed to sickness and old age. On that day, Renshi took his mother and his fleet and buried his father at sea. A few days after the ceremony, with Renshi's blessing, most of Renshi's fleet disbanded and continued their own adventures while Renshi stayed home and resumed his duties to his mother and the farm. Renshi allowed the villagers to use his merchant vessels and fishing boats, to keep the village's economy alive and the people fed._

_Several years after his father's death, Renshi buried his mother where her husband rest. Renshi's heart ached for the freedom and adventure the sea promised. Despite the longing in his heart, Renshi stayed and continued fulfilling his obligations to his clan and village, and made good use of his ships berthed at the small docks of the village. As more years passed, the ocean would give up fewer and fewer of its treasures. Many of the villagers, having felt the village was dying, moved their homes else ware to care for their families. With more progress being made in the big cities, the oceans were slowly being poisoned and the sea life was migrating away. The very things that Renshi loved as a child were slowly changing the oceans around them._

_Refusing to give in, Renshi began re-reading and studying the books he bought in his youth. He began refitting a few of the larger ships at the dock to perform tasks other than fishing. Renshi and a handful of villagers began recovering sunken vessels and their treasures. Soon, relying on Renshi's old reputation, he and his new crew were getting hired by men and families of stature to recover their own lost ships and treasures. A new type of economy had been established in the old fishing village, keeping it alive and its people safe and free from poverty. Time was catching up with Renshi and he was starting to feel the age in his bones. Being back on the water again, Renshi's strong reputation ensured him of the richest and most profitable commissions, but he was having trouble keeping up with them all. Renshi, whose love was the sea, never married, therefore had no heirs to take over and pass his knowledge and wealth to after he was gone. After many days of this realization, Renshi finally came to a solution…he could create his own help._

_For over a year, Renshi labored, salvaging and purchasing all the raw material needed. He used what he had learned, in study and of his years on the ocean, to create something that would help him on and under the ocean. Renshi needed something that could stay down longer and deeper than any man ever could, something that could do much of the work underwater repairing the ships and salvaging parts… saving time and making the work smoother. When his work and research were complete, Renshi stood back and considered his creation. It resembled a metal man, but a good head taller than himself and built strong and sleek. It was given the ability, despite its great size and weight, to move freely and gracefully underwater. It was able to move and swim around sunken ships without crushing the wreckage or disturbing much of the surroundings underwater._

_Knowing that the others would not understand and fear his creation, Renshi kept it secret for five years by going out alone at night. During those years, Renshi learned of something he had not intended, his creation had an exceptional ability to learn and adapt to unforeseen instances. As he and the construct worked together, Renshi began seeing some of himself in his creation. It seemed to be able to anticipate his needs and actions and even begin to communicate its own thoughts in conversation. Renshi started feeling a bond growing between them, almost like a sense of loyalty and admiration toward each other…almost like a father to a son? The line of it and he, in regards to Renshi's creation, was beginning to blur and become indistinguishable. _

_Renshi knew that he could not keep what he had created a secret from the rest of the world forever, so he called a private meeting with the village elders. After much deliberating, Renshi unveiled his assistant. The elders were shocked and terrified. As they ran, panic stricken, they called him and his creation demons. After running back to the village, the elders declared Renshi and his "monstrosity" outcasts and fobade anyone from associating with Renshi. Already living on the outskirts of the village, shunning them was easy. They were allowed to go to the next town to sell and buy supplies, but not in their own village. If Renshi and Swab, as he had taken to call his creation, went into their own village for any reason, the streets were cleared and any children or adults NOT inside would throw rocks and garbage at the Renshi and his companion…calling them horrible and hateful names. The villagers were so afraid; they set fire to the docks destroying the boats that were there, fearful of bringing their god's wrath upon themselves. Many times at sea, Renshi was challenged and attacked for his rightful salvage and cargo. Renshi began to resent those who once called him friend because they had destroyed so much of what he and his family had stood for and owned. The torment continued for a long time, with things being stolen and/or vandalized. Several of the younger villagers even tried to burn down his house and barn, almost killing Renshi and some of his animals._

_Then one fateful stormy night, the ocean tried to swallow the village and its people. Wave after terrifying wave flooded the village, smashing carts and statues, destroying homes and businesses: threatening to sweep everything out with the tide. The villagers cursed Renshi and his creation for bringing the anger of the ocean upon them as they ran for their lives. A few of the families put their young children on a longboat and were trying to pull it to safety, when a giant wave toppled a nearby building onto the adults and trapped them underwater and sent their children out into the boiling seas. Having stayed on higher ground, Renshi and Swab looked on with horror at the chaos before them. Knowing their chances were grim, Renshi decided to act instead of watching the destruction passively, ordered Swab to go after the children while he attended to the trapped villagers._

_Having seen and learned compassion from Renshi, Swab dove headlong into the churning waters and began to swim after the doomed children. Moving swiftly, Swab used the currents to quickly catch up with the boatload of children. Slowly and carefully, Swab skirted the waves and currents to bring the tiny boat to the shore near Renshi's home. The water-drenched children stared up at the metal monster in wide-eyed terror and confusion, their thoughts jumping from their impending doom to innocent curiosity. Why would a sea demon, who their parents told them would eat them if they disobeyed, save them from the great storm? Except for a gasp, the world around the cold and shivering children became silent as the demon spoke. "Don't be afraid, I will not harm you. Take hold of this rope, all of you, and follow me. I will take you to your families."_

_Dumbfounded, the children did as they were told and began the unsteady march down toward the village. Weary and tattered, Swab and the young children came upon the main road leading to the edge of the village. As they were trudging along, a brilliant flash and a thunderous roar snapped Swab and his company back into focus. Overlooking the village proper, Swab could see some of the villagers pulling others from underneath a building that had given way and was being held up by…"RENSHI!"_

"_Stay here!" Swab ordered the children as he moved to go help his mentor. Just as he was about to jump in Swab saw the strength leave Renshi, as he succumbed to the great weight of the structure, and the building collapsed on the old sailor. Horrified, Swab dove into the violent water and frantically swam to where his creator fell. Sensing the worst, Swab began desperately throwing chunks of the ruined building, searching for Renshi, to no avail. Diving deeper and following the outgoing current, Swab used the riptide in hopes of saving his creator and friend, but Renshi was nowhere to be found._

_Dejected and exhausted, Swab went to shore to return the children to their families. As Swab emerged from the rolling waters, he was met by a desperate and angry mob of villagers. As swab began to walk toward the main road, the villagers erupted in shouts and insults at the construct. "See what you and your vile creator have done, demon?" "Have you come to take us away now that you have killed our children and destroyed our homes?" "We will send you back to the oceans that spawned you and your hellish master, Renshi!" At those words, the fearful villagers began throwing stones and mud at the storm-worn construct. Rock after heavy rock pummeled Swab, hitting his head and body causing him to stagger under the weight of their blows. So enthralled was the crowd, the only thing that gave them pause was the shrill cry of a little girl as she was hit in the head with one of their large stones, causing her to fall to the mud._

_Stunned, the villagers became quiet and looked on in shock. Swab, seeing the fallen girl cover her head and blood flowing between her tiny fingers, bent down to pick her up when he realized he was surrounded by the children he saved a short time earlier. "STOP!" shouted one of the older boys as he and the other children faced off against the adults. "Why are you doing this?" The little girl looked up into her father's eyes and in a tear-filled voice stated, "He saved us daddy, please don't hurt him. He saved us." As the gales of the storm subsided, humility washed over the villagers like the torrential waves that destroyed their village. In shame, and with the weight of their foolishness weighing heavily on their hearts, the villagers collected their children and went to the safety of higher ground. Alone, the battered construct made its way home and sat in the still silence of the night._

_The next morning, Swab made his way down to the washed-out village. The waters receded, leaving behind mud and total devastation. As the other villagers rummaged through the ruins and removing the bodies of their dead, Swab went to the place where he saw Renshi fall. Swab moved more of the debris, hoping to find the remains of his mentor. Reaching down, Swab clutched a shredded piece of Renshi's shirt and held it to his chest. When he stood up and looked at the people around him, they would look to the ground. Not daring to look into the constructs pain-filled eyes, they pretended not to see it as they as they went about the tasks before them. Saddened and lonely, Swab went home and contemplated things in silence. For days he wept to himself, ignoring the frequent knocks and calls of greeting from the front door. As one last child weakly tapped on the door, Swab opened it and looked down to see the pale face and frail features of the little girl who was hit in the head a few nights before. Looking up at the giant metal man with one eye gleaming and the other covered in a dirty, blood-soaked, bandage. Struggling to hold her arm up high and holding a patchwork, love-worn doll, she spoke in a small voice. "Dolly always keeps me safe when I cry. Maybe she can help you not feel sad anymore."_

_As Swab hesitantly reached down to accept the fragile-looking toy, the weak girl dropped it just before reaching the giants hand as she passed out from blood loss and infection. Catching the tiny child in his outstretched hand, Swab brought the little girl inside and laid her gently on a fur-lined rug in the den. Looking the little girl over, Swab knew that she was dying from her wounds. Using the teachings his master showed him, Swab channeled his energies through the girl's body. As her head and eye healed, the bandage fell away revealing a scar where she had been mortally wounded. As Swab gets up to retrieve the child's toy, He sees the girl's father on his knees at the door, crying into the doll that belonged to is daughter. _

"_The town healer was killed in the storm." He exclaimed. "There was nothing anyone could do. It was as if she KNEW it would soon be the end. All she could do was talk about how she wanted to give you the doll he grandmother had made her…so it could take away your sadness." Not able to hold on any longer, the man began to wail loudly and hold the toy to his chest. As Swab stood over the crying man, he realized that THIS is what he had been feeling since Renshi disappeared. With such loss and pain, enough to consume your world to the exclusion of all else, he knew that he would not want to wish this pain on anyone… Not even those who would be his enemies. Stepping aside, Swab allowed the man to see the little girl resting on the fur-lined rug. "The child is safe. Take her and go rebuild your home." Dropping the toy, the man gleefully went to scoop up his child. "Thank you!" the man said excitedly, hugging his daughter tightly. Taking the doll the man dropped, Swab handed the little girl her toy. "Keep it" she said, now conscious, "She will help you now. May my grandmother watch over you and keep your pain away, forever." With that said, she and her father went down to the village and Swab went back inside._

_Working nonstop for several weeks, Swab completed the boat he and Renshi started before the storm hit. It was a three mast ship that was made for the scavenging they were doing. It had a very sturdy keel and a thick hull with a big hold. It had a large crane to assist with large hauls from the ocean depths and belly door to make diving easier and more concealable. With several cannons on swivel mounts, it could defend itself and take several direct hits before it would take on any water. With a sleek design and a wide hull, she was very fast, but slow to turn. At slower speeds, she could maneuver well and get into the canyons and shallow waters often associated with wrecked ships. When he was finished, Swab loaded up the vessel with the household goods and all the gear and money he would need for a long-term sea voyage and went to search for his former master._

_After a few years at sea, Swab encountered merchants and pirates alike. After freeing a few captured slaves from the scum of the seas and helping distressed sailors, Swab found himself with a small crew and a growing reputation. He would let any he freed go at a port of their choosing with enough goods and riches to keep them well off for a long time. Pirates were also treated fairly if they were defeated, stripped of their stolen loot and most of their powder and cannons, they were sent on their way. His reputation was starting to be whispered in the lower courts of the kingdom, a gentlemen merchant and sailor of growing renown. He continued searching for his former creator and master, making a life for himself, not really knowing how stories of his travels were beginning to be well known throughout the kingdom._


End file.
